The Hunt
by norik956
Summary: Side-story to Tale of a Togruta, set between chapters 54 and 55. After having trained and studied the Force together for a while, Ahsoka Tano feels that her little sister Aisha is ready to face one of their people's greatest tests. So she takes her sister into the scrublands of Shili to hunt her first Akul.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Arriving at the Tribe**

 **This is the first chapter of my side story for Tale of a Togruta. Ahsoka takes her sister Aisha to the scrublands of Shili so that she can do her first Akul hunt.**

 **This chapter was delayed somewhat because of a well-needed vacation followed, unfortunately, by very busy days at work. This story will be about four or five chapters, depending on how large the chapters get. I'll switch between this story and Gift of Light for now. Once this one is completed, I'll be continuing Tale of a Togruta and A Mirialan's Story again.**

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

 **;-**

Aisha Tano smiled excitedly as she sat in the speeder with her sister Ahsoka. Two months had passed since Marina's wedding and the two of them had been doing a lot of both Force and lightsaber practice together. She was getting a lot stronger and she had grown more confident in herself every day. She did make sure to always keep her sister's warning about growing overconfident in mind.

Ahsoka had told her about how she was caught in an airlock by a bounty hunter because she rushed ahead too quickly. She had underestimated the tricks that the bounty hunter had up his sleeves and she had gotten into some serious trouble. Her master had been there to help her thankfully, but it could have ended very badly with her being sucked out of an airlock.

Aisha had decided that she would remain cautious at all times, especially of her own feelings and abilities.

She looked over at her sister who was currently piloting the speeder. Ahsoka herself had grown a lot stronger herself as well. She knew her sister was special, she could tell that through the Force, but she didn't know how exactly. The other Jedi that she had briefly met on Ilum were all beacons in the Force. Ahsoka however, when they meditated together, she always felt more like a sun. It felt great to be around her.

Ahsoka had spent a lot of time training with the royal guards as well, learning more and more about the fighting styles that they used. She was already working on a way to create the new lightsaber form that she had been talking about. It would be a difficult process to combine the Jedi Forms with the warrior's styles, but she felt that Ahsoka would be able to do it and Aisha would provide whatever help she could.

But right now, they were headed on their way into the scrublands of Shili. It had been a big surprise to her when Ahsoka had told her that her big sister felt that she was ready to hunt her first Akul and craft a headdress of her own. She had been incredibly excited ever since.

She had heard a lot of stories and rumors about the Akul hunt, one of their people's most important rites of passage. One of the best stories she had heard was from a travelling Togrutan warrior. The man had taken to travelling across the galaxy to test his hunting skills against different types of prey on different types of worlds. She had been on a trip with her school class back then and they had run into the warrior while he had been camping in the woods close to where their camp had been. After some pestering from the class, a great deal from her as well, he had shared some of his experiences, the main story being that of one of his Akul hunts.

It had left a very powerful impression on her and now it would be her turn.

Ahsoka chuckled a bit next to her. "I can sense your excitement. Are you looking forward to this?" she asked.

Aisha turned to her and nodded excitedly. "Yes, I am," she replied. "I've heard several stories and I know how important it's to our people. I want to do it."

Ahsoka smiled as she looked at her sister. "I'm sure that you'll get your chance and I'm know that you'll be able to succeed. You're grown a lot stronger and smarter already."

"All thanks to you teaching me," Aisha replied with a smile.

"Don't give me all the credit," Ahsoka said. "You're a great student. I've seen plenty of others that don't work anywhere near as hard as you do."

Aisha smiled at the compliment. "Where exactly are we headed?" she then asked.

"We are headed into the scrublands, to the area where the Zalanos tribe lives," Ahsoka answered. "I completed my rite of passage with them as well several years ago. They are kind people and their leader is an honorable man."

Aisha nodded, curious to see what their tribe would look like. For now, she eagerly looked around the area as they flew through it.

;-

Aisha smiled and looked around with wide open eyes as she and Ahsoka walked through the scrublands. It was wonderful to see the wide plains and the trees sway in the gentle wind and feel the earth beneath her feet as the turu-grass tickled her legs lightly.

Ahead of them, the settlement of the Zalanos became visible. It blended in nicely with the surrounding area. They had landed their speeder some ways outside the tribe's area. Ahsoka wasn't too sure about how much technology the tribe used, so she made the decision to walk the last bit to their settlement. They had landed the speeder away enough that it wouldn't be in the way of anything, but close enough that they wouldn't have to fear being jumped by Akul.

On their way to the tribe, they encountered two sentinels standing watch. They seemed to recognize Ahsoka as part of the royal family as they both bowed her head. Ahsoka nodded at them, but Aisha could sense some annoyance from her sister. She knew that Ahsoka didn't like that kind of attention. She smiled a bit as they continued to the tribe.

After Marina's wedding, Ahsoka made a point of telling the royal guards and others of the palace to just address her as 'Ahsoka' instead of 'princess' or similar titles. Her sisters, however, made their own point of telling everyone that they _had_ to call Ahsoka that. It had led to a few arguments between Ahsoka and her sisters, which had been very entertaining for Aisha to watch.

They walked into the settlement and made their way towards the hut that belonged to the tribe's chief. A number of the tribe's people recognized Ahsoka and waved to her. A few of them stood out, they were obviously trained fighters and carried weapons. One of them gave Ahsoka some form of salute to which she gave a friendly smile and a nod.

"That's the hunt master of the tribe," Ahsoka told Aisha. "He guides and trains the warriors of the tribe. You'll be spending some time with him and the other warriors I imagine. He'll teach you what you need to know about the Akul before you hunt them."

"Okay," Aisha replied. "He looks really experienced. I'll make sure to pay attention."

"That's good," Ahsoka said with a smile. "The Akul are dangerous. Facing them without having any information about them is not recommendable." She looked ahead. "Ah, that's the tribe's chief, let's go," she said as she pointed at an older male Togruta, wearing some form of jeweled necklace. Aisha nodded and they walked up to him.

The male in question smiled when he noticed them and walked up to them. He bowed his head when he reached them. "Princess Ahsoka, it is good to see you again," he greeted them. "Welcome back to the Zalanos."

Ahsoka smiled and bowed her head as well, Aisha copying her. "It's nice to see you again, chief Thiros," she replied. "But please, do call me Ahsoka. My sisters are the princesses, I'm not really comfortable with that title."

Thiros seemed a bit surprised, but nodded nonetheless. "As you wish, we will do so then," he said. He then looked at Aisha. "And who is this with you?" he asked, noticing the lightsabers hanging from her belt.

"This is my little sister Aisha," Ahsoka replied with a smile. "She's also my apprentice when it comes to the ways of the Force. She's been doing very well and she has grown a fair bit stronger, so I decided to bring her here so that she can hunt her first Akul and fashion her headdress."

Thiros nodded. "I see," he said as he turned to Aisha. "Welcome to the Zalanos Aisha. Your sister surprised and impressed us quite a bit when she last visited us. If she has faith in you, then I believe that you will do the same."

"Thank you, I will do my best," Aisha replied.

Thiros smiled at her. "You seem to have the same strong spirit as your sister does," he told her with a kind smile. "Now then, it's almost time for the evening meal. Please join us as our honorary guests."

"Thank you chief Thiros," Ahsoka replied. "I think that we will gladly take you up on that after the long trip here."

;-

"So, what do you think of the tribe so far?" Ahsoka asked Aisha as they sat down in the guest hut where they would be staying. After the meal, Thiros had shown them around the tribe. He had also introduced them to the hunt master and the healer of the tribe, but Ahsoka hoped that they wouldn't need her help during this visit.

Aisha smiled at her sister. "It's really different from the city, but this looks like a nice place to live. The people seem really kind," she replied. "I can't wait to see what kind of things we'll do tomorrow."

"After breakfast, we can look around a bit more. The younglings of the tribe might like to hear some stories about what we do with the Force or my stories about the Jedi," Ahsoka said. "I might stay to help with the younglings in their other lessons, but you'll be joining the warriors when they assemble. The hunt master will teach you all you need to know about the Akul: how they act, how they hunt and how you need to strike."

Aisha nodded. "I'll make sure to pay close attention to what he says. A travelling Togruta once told my old class about his hunts. He said that being prepared is incredibly important," she replied.

"It really is. The Akul are not to be underestimated. Bad things have happened to those that did," Ahsoka said as she shook her head a little. She then smiled at her sister. "But I know that you'll be careful and prepare well. I'm confident that you will succeed."

"Thank you Ahsoka, I'll do my best," Aisha replied.

"I know you will," Ahsoka replied with a smile. "You always give everything your best. I wish some of the other Jedi I grew up with had your motivation." Aisha giggled a bit at her comment. "For now, maybe you should go to sleep. It'll probably be early tomorrow."

Aisha nodded. "Alright, good night sis," she replied as she stood up.

"Good night Aisha," Ahsoka said. She watched as her sister went through the curtain of woven turu grass. There was still a twinge of nervousness around her, but she handling it well. Their practice with the Force was really paying off for her. " _It's going to be interesting to see her in a few years,_ " she thought amused.

Ahsoka stayed there to briefly meditate and think back to her own Akul hunt. After a few minutes she too retired for the night.

 **;-**

 **That's the end of this chapter.**

 **Ahsoka and Aisha have arrived at the tribe. The next day, Aisha will begin to learn everything she'll need to know about the Akul.**

 **The Zalanos tribe belongs to Count Mallet. They are from his story When Cultures Collide, part of his Ahsoka's Legacy series. It's a very nice series to read if you're not familiar with them.**

 **I'll work on a new update for Gift of Light next. Ahsoka is now queen of her home planet and is now busy meeting people and organizing all kinds of things to help her people.**

 **Until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2 - With The Tribe

**Chapter 2 – With The Tribe**

 **Alright, the second chapter for my side story. In this chapter, Aisha begins to learn what she needs to know about the Akul. After that, it's time to practice.**

 **Hope you enjoy.**

 **;-**

"Aisha? Come on sis, it's time to get up."

At the sound of the familiar voice, Aisha slowly woke up. She stretched her body and opened her eyes to find her sister looking at her. "Good morning," she said with a smile.

"Good morning Aisha, did you sleep well?" Ahsoka replied with a smile.

Aisha nodded as she sat upright on the bed. "These beds are really different from the ones back home, but they're pretty comfortable. It's also really quiet out here, it's a big change from the city," she said as she prepared to get out of bed.

Ahsoka nodded as well. "I know, it was a really big change for me as well when I was here the last time," she replied. "Going from the halls of the Jedi Temple to a tribal settlement like this took some getting used to, but I didn't regret coming here at all." She smiled with the memories. "Now then, you need to get ready for breakfast. After that, you'll join the hunters in their lessons."

"Alright!" Aisha said excitedly. Ahsoka gave her another smile and left to let her sister get ready.

;-

Ahsoka and Aisha sat together in the dining area of the tribe, enjoying their breakfast and preparing for the day. A number of the younger children of the tribe had stopped by to wish Aisha luck in her hunt. They had all heard that she was going to attempt the traditional rite of passage younger than most and they were very impressed by her.

Aisha had been a little embarrassed by the attention, but she smiled and thanked the children nonetheless. While the children had been impressed by her, one of the people that had stopped by them had also really impressed Aisha. The older woman was a veteran hunter of the tribe, wearing not only an Akul-tooth headdress, but also a necklace and bracelet adorned with Akul teeth. She had said that she was glad to meet the newest huntress of the tribe. Aisha had been smiling so much that it left Ahsoka wondering if she was going to hurt her face.

Just before they finished their breakfast, chief Thiros had stopped by them. The children of the tribe were very eager to hear a bit more about the Jedi Order, so he had asked Ahsoka if she could share some things. She had happily agreed to do so. The two sisters finished up their meal. Aisha then went to the warriors and Ahsoka followed one of the tribe's teachers to her class.

;-

Ahsoka smiled and resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she was introduced to the group of children. She still didn't really like the title of princess a lot. It just didn't fit her that well.

The children all had tons of different questions, about her family, Marina's wedding, what life in the city was like and, of course, about the Jedi Order. She had shared some stories with them about the different things that happened during her life on Shili and when she was still with the Jedi. The children all listened eagerly to everything she said.

One of the slightly older children of the group said he wanted to become part of the royal guard when he was older. He was very curious to hear more about the way that the Jedi fought and their weapons. He wanted to learn as much as he could so he could become a great warrior later.

Ahsoka smiled and asked the rest of the children if they also wanted to hear more about the way the Jedi fought. Her answer was a bunch excited replies and eager faces. She nodded and took one of her lightsabers from her belt. She pointed it to the side and ignited it, the cyan blade appearing and the eyes of the children going wide.

"As a weapon, the Jedi use a lightsaber," she told the group. "These blades can be used in a number of ways, such as deflecting blaster bolts or cutting through obstacles like blocked doors. You can be a shield for others and help them escape dangerous areas. Just like the royal guards or the hunters of your tribe, it's a Jedi's duty to protect others."

She deactivated her lightsaber and put it back on her belt. "By learning and following the Force, a Jedi can learn to make their own lightsaber and find everything they need to make one," she told the group. "The Jedi have a seven lightsaber forms in total, each with their own specialty. Form III for instance, is a very solid defensive form. People like to describe fighting a master of Form III as trying to tear down an unbreakable wall with your bare hands. And when you've finally tired yourself out, the wall will strike back."

Ahsoka paused a moment as the younglings laughed a bit.

"As you probably know, our people have some very powerful fighting styles as well. The royal guards are masters of our ancestors' forms. I have seen them fight and they never fail to impress me. I felt quite honored that I was allowed to join them in their training and learn the styles from them. The techniques are very different from the Jedi lightsaber forms that I'm used to, but they are very powerful."

She leaned in a bit and spoke in a slightly softer voice. "If you ask me, I think that some members of the Jedi Council wouldn't stand a chance against some of our warriors, but don't tell anyone that."

After the children had stopped laughing, she continued. "My sister Aisha and I are going to work on an idea that I've had for a little while: we're going to create a new lightsaber form that combines the ways of the Jedi with our people's traditional fighting styles."

The younglings gasped in a mixture of wonder and excitement at that.

"I can see that you like the idea as much as I do," she commented with a smile. "It's still a bit of a struggle, but I like to think that we're making some nice progress already." She could tell that that confused a few of the children. One of the girls raised her hand and Ahsoka gestured for her to ask her question.

"How come it's difficult? You know both, don't you?" the girl asked.

"Yes, that's true, I know plenty of both styles, but that's not the problem," Ahsoka answered. "The weapons used for both are very different." She held up her lightsaber and balanced it in her palm and activated the blade. Despite having seen it before, the eyes of the children lit up again at the sight of the cyan blade. "The blade of a lightsaber doesn't weigh anything. The only weight is in the hilt." She deactivated her lightsaber again and placed it back on her belt. "The weapons our people use do have blades that weigh something, sometimes quite a lot. The forms make great and effective use of the swings of the strikes that you do. If you move with your attack, you can use the energy and gravity of it to make your next attack even stronger. With those techniques, our ancestors developed very flowing and powerful attacks."

She paused a moment to make sure the children understood. All of them were still following her words with great attention.

"Do you understand the problem yet? A lightsaber doesn't weigh anything, so it's a lot more difficult to move in the same way. We have to find a way to use the techniques effectively with a lightsaber and combine them with the Jedi forms," she finished her explanation.

The children in front of her all nodded.

"We still have a lot to work on, but I think that we can create a strong new form of lightsaber combat," Ahsoka said with a smile. "Maybe once it's finished, we can return here and give you a demonstration." A large amount of smiles break out in front of her. "Now then, who wants to hear about one of my rescue missions with the Order?"

All of the children sounded their eagerness and raised their hands excitedly.

"Alright then," Ahsoka said with a smile. "The Trade Federation was trying to take control of the planet Pantora. To try and make them surrender, they kidnapped the daughters of Chairman Papanoida. In order to save them, the senator of Pantora, Riyo Chuchi and I, set out on a dangerous mission to infiltrate one of their blockade ship and try to find them…"

;-

Aisha was slightly nervous as she walked up to where the hunt master of the tribe and the other warriors. Even the youngest of them were a few years older than her.

"Ah, young lady Aisha," the hunt master greeted her. "Welcome, please join us and we will begin todays lesson."

Aisha smiled. "Thank you," she replied as she moved over and sat down with the group. A few of them gave her a few odd looks, but didn't say anything.

"Everyone, this is princess Aisha Tano. She will be joining us in our lessons so that she may hunt her first Akul," the hunt master introduced her, earning her some more looks from the others.

Even though she was adopted into the family, she too was given the title of princess. " _Probably_ _something that Zaa did,_ " she wondered. Just like her sister, there were a few moments that it made her feel a little awkward as well.

The hunt master looked at her again. "I must ask, will you be using your own weapons or a spear and a bow, like we all do?" he asked her.

"I do have my lightsabers with me," Aisha said as she held them up in their combined form. "Using them might make the hunt a little bit easier, considering how powerful a lightsaber can be." She paused and clipped them back to her belt. "But I want to do it the traditional way, just like my sister did. I will be using a spear and bow as well, just like the rest of you."

The hunt master nodded, a satisfied smirk on his face. "I like your answer. We will make sure to teach you all that you need to know," he replied. "Now then, all of you new hunters, pay close attention. Now is the time to learn about the Akul. As you all know, for generations have the Akul preyed on us and we have hunted them in turn. Generations of hunting has taught us what we need to know about our natural foe. Heed the words of those who have gone before you and you shall succeed in your own hunts."

He walked back a bit to where a few paintings were displayed. They were images of the Akul, showing them in a few ways.

"Much like how the colors of our skin conceal us in the Turu grass, the Akul's fur can gift the beast the same cover. Do not solely rely on your sight when you are out in the fields. Unlike many other species, we have our montrals. We have a powerful sense of hearing that we can use to our great advantage, especially out on the hunt. If you wish to stand a chance against the Akul, you must rely on all of your senses. Always be wary of what is around you," the hunt master continued his lesson.

"The Akul's size makes it a to be both respected and feared. Do not take them lightly, it might be the last thing you do in this lifetime," he then warned the group. "It has powerful claws and strong teeth. It will not hesitate to use them against you. Be mindful of the beast's strengths, before you focus on its weaknesses."

One of the others in the group raised his hand. The hunt master gestured for him to ask his question. "So what are the weak points of the Akul?" the young man asked.

"Patience young warrior, we are just getting to that. Do not let eagerness make you overlook vital lessons," the hunt master replied in a slightly warning tone. "The Akul will take great advantage of any mistake you might make."

After a round of agreements from the group, he continued. "What you must keep in mind is that the Akul have a very thick hide over their body. If you just strike randomly, you will only anger the beast. You must always try to aim for the neck or the head." He pointed at the image of the Akul again. "Your strikes will deal the most damage there. If you use a bow, you can also aim for its legs. A well-placed arrow in the joint of the leg can cripple the beast, but be warned, this does not mean that you'll have an easy kill. The beast is still lethal and if you get overconfident, it will be able to kill you instead."

"Does everyone follow these lessons?" he asked the group. He received a number of nods and positive responses. "Very good, then let's recap what we have learned and move on to practice."

;-

Aisha held the spear in her hands. She carefully moved her hands over the wooden hilt. It felt slightly natural and familiar in her hands, similar to how her lightsabers felt when she held them. She moved her hands and held the spear like the warrior in front of the group was demonstrating. Two others and the hunt master walked around to give some pointers to those that needed it.

After a few minutes of instruction, everyone was holding their spears correctly, so the female warrior continued the lesson. "Do not just swing and stab your spear lightly. It will do you no good against the Akul that way. Weak attacks will not pierce its hide," she instructed the group. "You need to make sure to keep a solid grip on your spear at all times. If you don't, you will simply lose it and fighting an Akul without a weapon is not something I would recommend."

She moved into the combat stance herself and held the spear ready. "When you strike, move your entire body into the attack. Strike with your full might so that your blows will be lethal," she said as she moved to demonstrate how to strike. "The Akul will not easily give you a second chance, so if you have the opportunity to strike a lethal blow, you take it." She emphasized the last word with another strong thrust into one of the training dummies that stood in front of her.

She pulled the spear out of the dummy and stood in front of the group again. "That is the way to do it," she said. "Now, it's time for you to practice. Form up in rows in front of the training dummies. We'll direct you to strike. When you've landed your blow, move back to the end of the row to make room for the next. Don't worry, each of you will be able to get enough practice."

Aisha walked with the others and ended third in her row. She carefully watched the two in front of her strike at the training dummies. When it was her turn, she moved into the stance they had been shown and waited for the instructor to give the signal. When she did, Aisha struck swiftly with the spear. She felt a little satisfied to see its blade sink more than halfway through into the dummy.

"You are good on the footwork Aisha, but in the next strike, hold your right hand a bit more to the end of the spear and twist your body a bit more," the instructor told her.

"I will," Aisha said as she nodded and made her way back to the end of the row. She watched the others going through their strikes and listened to what they were told. When she struck again, she moved like the instructor said and felt the spear sink into the dummy a little easier. With a smile, she walked back to the end of the row.

;-

"So, how are your lessons going?" Ahsoka asked her sister as they both sat down for the midday meal.

"It's going pretty well," Aisha replied after taking a bite of the Thimiar meat. "We learned a lot about the Akul, what you should look out for and where you need to strike them. After those lessons, we've spend a few hours practicing with the spears. After the meal, we're going to practice with bows."

"Sounds like you've learned a lot already," Ahsoka said with a smile. "I'm sure that if you keep practicing and learn to what they have to teach you, you will do just fine in the hunt." She thought something over a moment. "Let's see if we can't squeeze in a meditation session after the evening meal. You'll need to keep a clear mind when you're hunting the Akul."

"Okay, that sounds good. I think I could use that, I'm getting a little nervous," Aisha admitted.

Ahsoka nodded. "Honestly, I would be worried if you weren't," she replied. "The Akul are dangerous and not to be underestimated. Being nervous is a good sign that you're not making that mistake."

"The hunt master also said so. He warned us about being careless," Aisha said. "And I know what you taught me about being overconfident of course."

"Good, keep that in mind," Ahsoka replied. "In the Order, we are also taught plenty about fear and nervousness. They are powerful emotions that serve to warn you, but if you're not careful, they can also overwhelm you and leave you incapacitated. The Order's teachings say to acknowledge the emotions and then release them to the Force, don't dwell on them. They say that for all other emotions too."

She looked up in thought for a moment. "Personally, however, after all that I've been through and living with my family now, I don't think that it's the right thing to do anymore," she admitted. "I used to think it was all so simple. Just release it to the Force and be done with it. But in the war I've seen so much and learned that it's never really that simple." She looked at Aisha again. "For Force users, emotions can be dangerous. It's easy to abuse your powers in a fit of anger or rage, especially if the Dark Side is whispering to you while you do so. It's really easy to get lost in your emotions that way and it can drag you down a dark path."

"The Council thinks it's a good idea to banish all emotions. Don't feel anything and there's nothing to worry about," she continued. "I've learned to disagree with that. Not feeling anything will just make you cold and heartless. That became very obvious in the way the Council treated me. They've forgotten compassion and everything else that Jedi are supposed to have." She shook her head.

"There are much better ways to go around it. Every living being has emotions. You can't just shut them off. It's better to embrace your emotions. If you learn to understand them instead of just erasing them, you will be able to handle them better. Also, several emotions will serve to strengthen the Light Side within you. I think that the Council could really learn a lot about handling emotions." She looked at Aisha again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go into a long story about the flaws of the Order."

Aisha giggled a bit. "That's okay, don't worry," she replied. "I like hearing what you have to say about the Force. You know a lot about It."

"I have learned a lot about the Force during my time with the Order and as Anakin's Padawan. After leaving the Order, I continued learning more about the Force," Ahsoka said. She had not told Aisha about Daughter yet. She would do that later on, once Aisha knew more about the Force. "We'll do some meditating tonight. The Force lessons will continue once we're back home. You should focus on the Akul lessons right now."

Aisha nodded. "I will. I'll pay close attention to what they have to teach me," she replied with a smile. "What have you been doing today?"

Ahsoka smiled. "I've been spending some time with the children of the tribe. They were very eager to hear what we do with the Force and the new lightsaber form we're planning to make. I also told them a few stories about some missions that I went on." She chuckled a bit. "One of their normal teachers told me that it was very rare for them to pay so much attention to their instructors."

Aisha couldn't help but laugh at that as well. "You're just a great teacher," she replied as they finished their meal.

;-

Aisha held the bow in her hands. She carefully drew back on the string a bit, testing the resistance. She had never used a weapon like this before, so she paid close attention to what the instructor was saying.

The veteran hunter demonstrated how to hold the bow properly first. He showed the proper stances and how to focus your aim. Once his explanation was finished, he swiftly nocked an arrow and showed the right way to hold it. With everything said and done, he took aim at the practice target and let the arrow fly. It hit the target right in the center, earning him some amazed reactions from the group he was teaching.

"Your best chance at using a bow against the Akul is when the beast hasn't spotted you yet. You can take a brief moment to take careful aim and make sure that your arrow strikes where it counts most," he told the group. "You can still try to use a bow if the beast has spotted you and there is still some distance between you, but do not misjudge the Akul's speed. It can reach you very swiftly if you are not careful."

He gestured at the targets behind him. "Which is why we will practice now. You need to not only learn how to use your bows, but also your own limits," he continued. "You need to know your own limits, how quickly you can nook the arrow, draw back and aim at your target. If you are not confident enough that you can be swift enough, I advise you switch to your spear and prepare for the beast to lunge at you."

He answered a number of questions from the group before they moved on to the practice. Everyone was given a quiver with a few arrows.

Aisha carefully fitted the quiver around her, making sure it was secured but that she could still easily grab her arrows. She moved into the line with the others. There were a few more archery targets, so the lines were shorter.

She was second in her row. They would each shoot three arrows before moving back. When it was her turn, she moved to the assigned line. She took an arrow and carefully placed it on the bow. She drew back, aimed and let the arrow fly. It hit the target, but in the outermost circle. She looked at the target slightly disappointed.

"Do not let it worry you, young lady Aisha," the instructor replied. "For a first shot, I have seen a lot worse before. For your next shot, take slightly longer to aim. Hold your breath a moment, then breathe out and let the arrow fly."

Aisha nodded at the instructor and moved to try again. She drew the arrow back again, but held it a little longer this time. She held her breath for a few seconds, then breathed out and let go of the string. The arrow hit closer to the center this time. With a slight smile, she nocked her third arrow and fired again in the same way. It hit in the same circle as the previous one.

"You have the basic technique down," the instructor said as she retrieved her arrows. "The rest comes with more practice." She nodded at the instructor and walked back to the end of the line.

;-

Aisha smiled as she took a bit of the small snack that she and her sister were having. The archery practice had continued for about an hour and a half. Her aim had improved a bit more. She could aim a little better now and had even managed to hit the center of the target two times. She was going to continue practicing with both the spear and the bow tomorrow. She and Ahsoka might also do some lightsaber practice, a slight spar, seeing as the children of the tribe were very eager to see more of their lightsabers.

They had just done a little meditation session like Ahsoka had suggested during their midday meal. She was right, it had been nice to do after all of the practice of the day. She hoped that they could do it again tomorrow as well. It really helped with her nervousness.

"So, how did you like the training Aisha?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's been pretty good! A little exciting too, considering what it's all for," she replied with a smile. "And in a certain way, it's feels natural to use these weapons, kind of like how it feels when I hold my lightsabers."

"Well, they are the weapons that our people have been using for who knows how many generations. It only makes sense to feel like that," Ahsoka said with a smirk. "I looked at both of your training sessions for a little while. If you keep practicing like that, you'll be ready for your hunt in a few days. I'm sure of it."

Aisha smiled widely at that. "I'll do my best!" she replied eagerly. "The instructors are kind and they really know a lot."

"They are veteran hunters. I don't know exactly how many Akul they've hunted, but they definitely know what they're doing," Ahsoka said as she nodded in agreement. "When it comes to hunting the Akul, I don't think you could have better instructors."

"Not even you?" Aisha asked slightly teasingly.

Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "Well, they probably know more about the Akul then me, but when it comes to the Force, they got nothing on me," she replied amused. Aisha laughed a bit as well at that. "Perhaps it's best if we go to sleep as well. It's getting late."

Aisha nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she said. "There is a lot more training to do tomorrow."

"You'll do fine Aisha, I know you will," Ahsoka replied. "Get some rest now, sweet dreams."

"Good night sis," Aisha said with a smile as she got up and headed to her room in the hut.

 **;-**

 **That's the end of this chapter.**

 **Aisha has started her practice with the hunters. She'll continue to practice with them for a few more days. Then it's time for her to hunt her first Akul.**

 **The next update will be for Gift of Light again. I intend to make two more chapters for The Hunt and then finish up this side story. When it's done, I'll be continuing Tale of a Togruta and A Mirialan's Story again.**

 **Until next time.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Rite of Passage

**Chapter 3 – Rite of Passage**

 **The completion of this chapter had some delays because of several things in my personal life and the even more increased busyness of work. It's unfortunate, but I can't change anything about it.**

 **In this chapter Aisha will hunt her Akul, so let's get right to it. Hope you enjoy.**

 **;-**

" _You are ready."_

Aisha opened her eyes and was instantly awake. She wasn't even sure when and how she had fallen asleep. She remembered returning to their hut the day before, sharing another meditating session with Ahsoka before heading to bed. The excitement had still been very present in her mind, but she had managed to fall asleep after all.

" _You are ready."_

The words echoed through her mind again. She had spent four days practicing with the hunters of the tribe to prepare for her own hunt. Yesterday had been filled with a bunch of hard challenges and tests. It had been difficult and very trying, but she had succeeded and passed everything. At the end of the day, the hunt master had approached her and spoken those words.

" _You are ready."_

Excitement had been bubbling through her ever since that moment. The veteran hunters of the tribe believed that she was ready to hunt her first Akul. Today would be the day that she went out into the fields to find her prey. She quickly got ready and left her room in the hut.

Ahsoka was waiting for her in the other room and smiled at her. "Good morning Aisha," she greeted her. "Well? Are you all set for the hunt?"

Aisha nodded and walked up to her. "Good morning sis!" she replied excitedly. "Yes, I was pretty surprised yesterday when the hunt master said I was ready, but I feel prepared now. I'm ready to do this."

Ahsoka smiled and nodded as well. "I like your enthusiasm. Remember what you were taught, stay focused and I know that you will succeed," she told her sister. "Come on, let's go and eat something. After that, it's time for you to set out on your hunt."

Aisha nodded eagerly at that and the two of them left their hut.

;-

After a good breakfast and numerous wishes of good fortune by the members of the Zalanos tribe, Aisha and Ahsoka stood at the edge of their settlement with the hunt master of the tribe. Aisha now had her spear in her hands and a bow on her back with a number of arrows in the quiver hanging at her side. She was ready to set out on her hunt.

The hunt master turned to Aisha. "You are ready, young one," he told her. "Now is the time for you to set out on your hunt. Take what you have learned from us and you will be able to succeed."

"Thank you, I will do my best," Aisha replied, smiling at the older Togruta. "you have taught me so much. I feel ready to do this."

"Very good," the hunt master said as he nodded. "Keep your spirit strong and you can most certainly succeed." He gestured at four other hunters waiting nearby. "As we do, to ensure the safety of our people, they as seasoned hunters will shadow you during your hunt. Should the Akul prove to be too much of a challenge, and there is no shame if it should, they will come to your aid to guarantee your safe return. If this is not necessary, they will come to aid you in bringing your kill back to the tribe. Now then, it is time for you to set out. May the spirits of our ancestors guide you in this, one of our most ancient traditions."

Aisha nodded and gave a slight bow to the hunt master. She then turned to her sister.

Ahsoka gave her a confident smile. "It's time sis," she said encouragingly. "Remember everything that you're learned, stay focused on your task and I'll be waiting here to hear about your success. May the Force be with you."

Aisha nodded and smiled. "I'll do my best not to disappoint you," she replied with confidence. She then turned around and started making her way towards the vast lands outside the settlement. A few others gathered around wished her well as she set out to hunt her prey.

;-

A soft breeze blew through the vast plains, causing the Turu grass to softly wave back and forth as Aisha crept through it. Some ways behind her, she could sense the slight ripples caused by the veteran hunters that were following her. She tuned them out, they would come to her if it was necessary, but if it was up to her, they would only come to help her bring her kill back to the tribe.

She moved slowly and slightly crouched through the Turu grass, letting it conceal her as she searched for her prey. The spear was a very comfortable weight in her hands. The bow was on her back, resting there until she needed to use it. She felt ready and prepared.

It was a great day on Shili. The sun was shining brightly and there wasn't a cloud to be seen for miles. The fields around her were filled with life of all sorts. Different forms of plant life gave everything around her a beautiful array of colors. Many insects flew around from flower to flower, creating a slight buzzing in the wind. A few Thimiars scattered through the grass here and there. She was slightly temped to instinctively chase after them, but she had a much bigger target right now.

She continued tracking through the plains, searching for her prey. It was only a matter of time before she found an Akul. The one thing that mattered was if she would find it first of if the Akul would find her first. The successful outcome of her hunt might very well depend on that, so she continued to carefully track further.

;-

After thirty minutes of stalking through the wide fields, Aisha had found a clear sign of a nearby Akul: a few eaten corpses of Thimiars, the blood still wet in the earth. A few bloody paw prints could be seen, so she followed their direction, searching for her prey. As she did so, she followed her sister's lessons and did her best to release her growing excitement into the Force. She needed a clear head for this.

A few heavy sounding thumps sounded in her montrals, so she slowed down and crouched a bit lower. Taking care not to make too much sounds, she crept closer in the direction of the footsteps. She moved further for about a minute and then she froze. There, a short distance away from her, was her prize.

The Akul stood there, turned away from her, drinking some water from a small stream. Excitement, but also worry, started to fill her. This Akul was big, much bigger than the training dummies they had been practicing with in the tribe.

The Akul hadn't noticed her yet, so she quietly moved herself into a slightly better vantage point. From there, she slowly drew her bow and readied an arrow. Nervousness grew in her. Once she let go, there was no going back. It would be the Akul or her. She took a deep breath and drew on the Force like her sister had taught her, then she let go.

The arrow soared towards the Akul. The beast moved slightly at that moment, causing the arrow to strike it in the thicker skin behind its neck. It roared loudly in pain, startling Aisha slightly. She quickly drew another bow and moved to fire at the beast again. She let the arrow fly, but the rush of adrenaline coursing through her made her aim less steady. The arrow hit the Akul, but it scraped along its thick skin, only creating a minor cut, but revealing her position to the beast. It turned to her and gave another roar before it charged at her.

Aisha took a quick breath and swiftly placed her bow aside, it wouldn't serve her well anymore now. She grabbed her spear and stood upright, taking a solid stance. The Akul lunged at her and she dodged to the side. This close, the beast looked even larger and it worried her, but determination and adrenaline overrode the fear that normally would have taken hold of her.

The beast moved out of its lunge and faced her, growls sounding from its throat as it slowly moved around her at a slight distance. Aisha moved as well, the spear firmly in her grasp, not wanting to give the beast an opportunity to get the drop on her. She moved backwards a bit and a little sideways, keeping a slight bit of distance between her and the Akul so that she has time to dodge its attacks. She kept calm and waited for it to make a move.

She didn't have to wait long. With a fierce growl, the Akul lunged at her again, its jaw aiming for her throat. She dodged and tried to stab the beast with the spear, but her hit was off and the blade scraped the Akul's side instead. The beast roared and swiped at her with one of its large claws. She dodged again, but the sharp pain in her back told her that she was slightly too late.

She quickly put a bit of distance between her and the Akul. She swiftly put her hand on her back and it came back stained with her blood. She winced a bit at the pain shooting through her, but she did as her sister had taught her and tried to release the pain into the Force. It helped slightly and she brought her full focus back on the Akul.

Having caught the scent of her blood, the beast roared again and charged at her. Instead of panicking or letting her worry take her over, she took a deep breath and focused. She stood solidly in the stance she had been taught, spear at the ready, and she waited for the right moment. The Force was by her side and she saw the beast's move before it made it. She dodged to the left, the Akul's claw just passing by her face. She ignored the shot of pain in her back and trusted full force with her spear, striking the Akul in the throat.

Aisha rolled over the floor as the beast flew over her from the momentum of its strike. It gave a few strangled, wheezing growls before it collapsed to the ground with a pound that resounded heavily in her montrals.

For a short moment, all she could do was sit there and stare at the dead beast. Dead by her hands, the reality of it sinking into her mind made her smile. "I did it," she said softly as her smile grew. She had successfully completed their people's rite of passage, the fallen Akul lying there was the undeniable proof. The cuts in her back stung, but the adrenaline and excitement made it feel more like a dull ache than a wound caused by the claws of an Akul.

She heard footsteps walking up to her and looked in that direction. The four hunters of the tribe that had been shadowing her walked up to her. The female huntress that had been one of her instructors looked at her kill, seizing it up, before smiling at Aisha. "Well done, warrior sister," she said warmly. "Very well done indeed. To kill a full-grown Akul at your young age, very impressive."

Aisha smiled widely at her. "Thank you!" she replied excitedly. "I couldn't have done it without the lessons of you and the others."

"It was our pleasure to teach you, warrior sister," the huntress replied. "Come, let us help you bring your kill back to the tribe. You can see the healer for your wound and after that it's time for you to fashion your own headdress."

Aisha beamed as the other hunters tied a few ropes around the fallen Akul and they began dragging the beast back to the tribe.

;-

By the time they arrived back at the tribe, Aisha's back was stinging a little more, but the joy of her success overrode the feelings of pain mostly. The moment they walked back into the settlement, numerous cheers of applause were instantly heard, causing Aisha to break out into a smile. She could sense their joy for her, but she could also sense some disbelief amongst some of them when they took in the size of the beast.

Ahsoka walked up to her right away. Mindful of the wound on her back, she gave her little sister a hug. "Well done Aisha, I knew you could do it," she said with a big smile. "You have definitely proved yourself as a Togruta today, taking down such a large Akul."

Aisha smiled happily at her sister's words. "Thanks 'Soka!" she replied, still shaking a little from the whole experience. "But I did get hurt…" she added a bit dejectedly.

Ahsoka gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about that sis. The Akul are very powerful beasts. Sometimes even the most experienced hunters will get hurt. It's very rare that someone makes it through their first hunt completely unscathed," she replied. "I know I didn't."

"Really?" Aisha asked in surprise.

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, even _I_ got hurt," she added with a little smirk. She looked over at the Akul felled by her sister. "I think the beast I killed was roughly that same size as well. I did kill it, but it gave me a really nasty gash on my arm. Thankfully between the treatment of the healers here and the healers at the Temple, I healed nicely without a scar. So, you have no reason to feel ashamed at being hurt."

Aisha nodded and looked around a bit. A few of the older Togruta here, the hunt master as well, all sported scars, obviously caused by large claws and teeth. "Okay," she said as she nodded.

At that point, chief Thiros joined the two. "Well done, young lady Aisha," he greeted her. "It is a pleasure to welcome our newest warrior sister."

Aisha looked to him and smiled. "Thank you," she replied as she bowed her head a little. "The hunters of your tribe taught me well and because of that I was able to succeed."

"You are most welcome, young warrior sister," the hunt master said with a smile. "It was our pleasure to teach you."

Chief Thiros smiled as well. "Come, let's have the healer take a look at your wounds. Tonight's feast will be in your honor," he told her. Aisha smiled widely at that.

"Come on sis, let's go. After the healer has looked you over, you can get started on your headdress," Ahsoka told her. Aisha nodded eagerly and the two of them started making their way to the healer's hut, Aisha receiving many congratulations along the way.

;-

After a visit to the healer of the tribe and a moment to rest and eat, Aisha felt much better. Ahsoka had brought some bacta along with them, but she said that the medicine used by the healers of the tribe would work just as well. She hadn't been too sure as she watched the healer mix and grind several herbs together, turning it all into a paste of sorts, but after it had been applied, she definitely believed it.

Now wrapped up with a bandage, her wound no longer stung at all. If she just took it easy for a little while, it would recover fully. Also, Ahsoka had promised her that they would look into some aspects of using the Force to increase the healing speed. _That_ had her really interested.

Now, the two sisters were in the company of another woman from the tribe called Sardeya. The copper-colored woman was one of the crafting instructors of the tribe. Normally she taught the people of her tribe about all sorts of sewing, weaving and other crafts, but now she would assist Aisha with her headdress.

"It is my pleasure to welcome you here, warrior sister," Sardeya told Aisha. "And it is good to see you again as well, milady. You left quite the impression on us and it seems that prowess for hunting Akul runs in the family now doesn't it?" she said as she looked at Ahsoka.

"It is nice to you again," Ahsoka replied with a smile. "Your help back then was very much appreciated and I've worn my headdress every single day since then." She looked over at Aisha. "And you're right, my little sister has continued to impress me every time."

Aisha smiled at that before turning to the older woman. "It's nice to meet you as well," she said.

Sardeya smiled at her as well. "Alright then young one, let's get started," she said as she grabbed a small box and handed it to Aisha. "While you were with the healer, we prepared your teeth for you. Now it's up to you to decide what your headdress will look like."

Aisha eagerly took the box and opened it to find the teeth of her kill. She took them out of the box and laid them out in front of her, inspecting them all. Sardeya instructed her how to put them all together. Similar to her sisters' headdress, she took the largest tooth for the center of her headdress. She then took a small tooth and placed it next to it, followed by a medium one, then another small one and finally a bit larger medium one at the end. Satisfied with how it looked, she did the same for the other side of her headdress.

With Sardeya's assistance, she linked the teeth together. With Ahsoka's help, she made a small adjustment to the center tooth that would allow her to link a string of beads to her headdress as well. She always liked how they looked on her sister, so she wanted to be able to do that as well. Ahsoka had told her how she wore her Padawan braid like that as well. Considering she was, in their own ways, her sister's padawan, she figured it would fit well with her too.

"I think that looks like a fine headdress," Sardeya commented as she looked it over. She beckoned over her assistant. "Please go and treat this in the fire. We can finish it after that," she asked the other Togruta. As the male left the tent, Sardeya turned her attention back to Aisha. "While we wait, we can get started on your sash. The leather from the Akul is ready. Would you like it similar to your sisters'? With the design of our tribe in it as well?"

Aisha nodded. "Yes, thank you, I'd like that. I would really like it to remind me of your tribe and my hunt here," she replied.

"That is very kind of you, young warrior," Sardeya said as she readied everything they would need. "Have you thought of other designs you want as well?"

Aisha nodded again. "Yes, I have," she replied. She knew that Ahsoka had done the same, but after returning to Shili, to her family, she had also sewn in a new pattern: that of her own family. Aisha wanted to do the same, but slightly different. "Just like my sister, I want to add my families' crest as well, but I want to not only add the one from my new family, but also the one from my birth parents."

Ahsoka smiled at hearing that. "I think that that's a really nice thing to do Aisha," she said kindly as she placed a hand on her sisters' shoulder. Aisha looked at her and smiled as well. "I'm sure that it will look great. "

"Indeed, I think so too," Sardeya said as she gestured at everything in front of her. "Now then, let's get started, shall we?" Aisha nodded and moved over a bit, ready to begin.

;-

After working with Sardeya for about an hour, Aisha had neatly finished her sash. It fit perfectly on her belt, with her lightsabers on each side of it. Her headdress had also been finished and they had worked to fit it on her head. Now with both her headdress on her forehead and the sash on her belt, Aisha happily turned to her sister.

Ahsoka smiled at her. "You look fantastic, my young warrior sister," she said warmly, making Aisha break out into a smile as well. "Hang on, let me get your picture like this. It will serve as a nice memento to this day." Aisha nodded and stood still with a big smile on her face as her sister took her picture.

When she was done, Aisha turned to Sardeya. "Thank you for your help. I really like both my headdress and the sash. I'll make sure to take good care of both," she said with a smile.

"It was my pleasure. I know that you will wear them both with pride, warrior sister," Sardeya replied.

Aisha gave a light bow to the older Togruta and left the tent with Ahsoka.

;-

Later that day, all members of the Zalanos tribe had gathered for the evening meal. The gathering of people seemed a tad livelier today than in the days before. Another difference of today was that there was also a large amount of Akul meat. Aisha's kill, that she had shared with the tribe as the tradition normally was.

Before they began the meal, chief Thiros addressed everyone. "Today, our usual meal is generously complimented by a feast of the Akul. A gift from our newest warrior sister, Aisha Tano," he told everyone. "I hope that you will all join me in congratulating her bravery and spirit."

All those gathered joined in applause. The younger members of the tribe cheered excitedly. A little overwhelmed by the attention, Aisha could feel her lekku darkening. Her sister seated next to her gently squeezed her shoulder, signaling her pride. A short moment later, the applause died down again.

"Young Aisha, may our ancestors continue to smile upon you and bless you with a good life," Thiros said to her with a smile. "Now then everyone, let us partake of this feast." With a gesture from him, the people that had prepared the food began to pass it out amongst the people of the tribe. Aisha and Ahsoka were given the meat first, seeing as it was her kill.

Aisha smiled happily as she ate the Akul meat. It tasted great, the people of the tribe had prepared it really well. She also couldn't help but wonder about what the hunters of the tribe had said, that the meat tasted better when it was your own kill. There seemed to be some truth to it in her eyes.

During the meal and after it, several people of the tribe had given her personal congratulations as well. Especially several younger people of the tribe had really spoken highly of her bravery, to hunt an Akul at her young age. Like her sister, she had definitely left a lasting impression with the tribe.

;-

Night had fallen on Shili and Ahsoka and Aisha were back in their hut. Ahsoka hugged her sister tightly, but made sure not to put any pressure on the wound on her back. "You did fantastic today Aisha. I am very proud of you and I hope that you will always remember this day fondly," she said as she pulled back from the hug.

"Thank you sis," Aisha replied with a big smile. "Today was a very exciting day. I'm sure that I'll always remember it. I'll also remember the people of the tribe that helped me. I couldn't have done it without them."

Ahsoka nodded and smiled. "That's good," she said. "It's always important to remember those that helped you. In the Order, they always said that knowledge is meant to be shared. That what you learn yourself, you can someday pass onto others." She looked fondly at her sister with her headdress. "You really do look good with a headdress."

Aisha smiled happily at that.

"Why don't you go and rest up now? You're more than earned it," Ahsoka suggested. "We'll be flying home tomorrow. I'm sure that everyone will be proud to see your accomplishment." She smirked. "And I'm sure that it'll ease mom's worrying as well."

Aisha couldn't help but giggle a bit at that. Their mother did have the tendency to worry like that. When Ahsoka had first mentioned that she wanted to take Aisha on an Akul hunt, she had grown quite pale. It had taken a few talks and heavy reassurances from Ahsoka that she would look out for her little sister, before they were able to start planning the actual trip itself.

"I'm sure that she'll be glad that we're home again." Aisha replied with a smile. "She really didn't like the idea at first."

"No, she didn't," Ahsoka said as she shook her head. "Well, I'm headed to bed as well. It's a bit of a long flight back tomorrow. Sweet dreams sis."

"Goodnight!" Aisha replied before she followed her sister's lead and headed to her own bed. After getting ready and changing into her lighter night clothes, she sat on the bed. With care, she removed her headdress and sat it down gently on the small nightstand. She smiled happily and laid down to go to sleep. There wasn't a single moment of doubt in her mind that she would always remember this day.

 **;-**

 **That's the end of this chapter.**

 **Aisha successfully completed her Akul hunt and made her own headdress. She did get scratched a bit, but she'll be just fine thanks to the healer's work.**

 **The next chapter for this story will be the last. During their flight back, there's something that Ahsoka wants to try out. She felt that it was a bit better to do so outside of the cities. This event will be important later on in my main stories. I'm going to work on making this chapter first now.**

 **Once this side story is done, I'll return to my main two stories Tale of a Togruta and A Mirialan's Story. The time skip for those stories will finally be over. I think that Barriss will get the first updates, seeing as the events I've planned for her take place just before those of Ahsoka's.**

 **Until next time.**


	4. Chapter 4 - The Trip Back

**Chapter 4 – The Trip Back**

 **This is the last chapter for The Hunt. Ahsoka and Aisha say their goodbyes to the Zalanos tribe and head home. Before they go there however, there's something that Ahsoka wants to try out.**

 **Thanks again to** _ **Count Mallet**_ **for letting me use his characters from the Zalanos tribe.**

 **Hope you enjoy.**

 **;-**

Ahsoka and Aisha stood at the edge of the Zalanos settlement, about to depart and head home. A number of people of the tribe, including chief Thiros of course and the huntmaster, were there to see them off.

Ahsoka and Aisha bowed to the chief. "Chief Thiros, thank you for your help and hospitality. Our stay here has been great," Ahsoka told him.

Chief Thiros and the huntmaster bowed to them as well. "It was our pleasure to have you both here, lady Ahsoka," Thiros replied. "And it was our pleasure to assist you with your right of passage, young lady Aisha."

"It was a pleasure to meet all of you," Aisha said with a smile. "I'm sure that I will always remember my stay here and the lessons I was taught."

"It is our hope that you may one day share with others what we have taught you," Chief Thiros told her with a smile. "Knowledge is meant to be passed on after all. Perhaps we will see you both here again someday. Until then, may our ancestors watch over your path."

"And may they watch over your tribe as well," Ahsoka replied. They said their final goodbyes and Ahsoka and Aisha began to make their way back to their speeder.

;-

The two sisters were back at their speeder. Once they were both seated, Ahsoka fired up the engines and lifted the speeder off the ground.

"Here we go," she announced to her sister as she activated the thrusters. The speeder quickly sped off away from the tribe in the direction of Corvala.

"It's nice to go home again," Aisha admitted next to her as she looked over the grasslands. "It was great to be with the tribe, but it'll be nice to be back home with everyone."

Ahsoka smiled next to her. "I know what you mean. Life in a tribe like the Zalanos is nice and peaceful, but also very different. I have to be honest, I don't know if I could live like that all the time," she replied. "It'll be nice to get back and show everyone your success."

Aisha smiled as well. "I'm really excited to show everyone!" she said happily. "This was a really exciting trip. That Akul was pretty scary, but I was able to keep my composure with the Force. It helped me stay focused and I was able to do it."

Ahsoka nodded at her. "Yes, the Force is always a powerful and helpful ally," she said as she briefly looked over to her. "It will always be there for you if you need It."

Aisha nodded. "I'm really happy that you could teach about It. I learned things that I never thought were possible," she replied. "I can't wait to learn more about the Force and using my lightsabers when we get home again."

Ahsoka gave her sister a smirk. "Don't worry, there's plenty that I can still teach you about the Force and we've only begun to scratch the surface of lightsaber combat. We'll be doing a lot more together," she told her. "Speaking about the Force, we'll be making a short stop before we head home. There's something that I wanted to try out myself before we reach the city."

"Really? What is it?" Aisha asked quickly. Her usual curiosity for the Force and eagerness to learn brewing slightly through their Force bond.

Ahsoka was silent as she thought it over a moment. "I think that trying to explain it to you right now will be very difficult, sorry sis," she replied. "Then again, I'm not even sure yet if it will even work. I'm just going to have to try it first. No matter what, I'll be glad to have you there with me."

"If I can help you then I will!" Aisha said eagerly.

"I know you will sis," Ahsoka replied with a smile.

;-

 _Later that day_

Aisha waited and watched her sister. They were now about a forty minutes distance away from Corvala. Her sister had landed their speeder next to a large lake so she could try whatever it is that she wanted to try. They were alone here, so they had complete privacy. She could tell that her sister was a bit worried about something related to this, so it was probably part of the reason why they were out here instead of trying it at home.

She still wasn't sure just what her sister wanted to try. Ahsoka stood a short distance away from her, eyes closed and a calm expression on her face. Aisha could feel her drawing on the Force like they always did in their practice. Then the flow of energy suddenly changed and a bright light surrounded her sister's form.

Aisha looked on in wonder as she felt the Force swirl around her sister. She knew her sister was very strong, but she had never sensed anything like this before. The energy felt so bright and warm.

Bright light continued to swirl around her form and it suddenly grew. Her sister's form changed completely, growing significantly taller. After a short moment, the light began to fade away and Aisha was left staring in surprise and wonder.

Where her sister was just standing a moment ago, now stood a large dragon-like creature. It had the shape of a wyvern-type creature. It had a long slender body with orange scales all over it, with several white accents here and there. It stood on two legs, two large wings moved gently at the top of its body, a bit below the long neck. The inside of its wings were a pure white, almost glowing in the light of the sun. It had a mouth filled with sharp teeth and two horns sticking out backwards on the top of its head. The being also had very sharp looking claws on its arms and equally sharp looking talons on its feet. For a moment, Aisha was worried as she stared at the being, but then it looked at her and she could see her sister's warm blue eyes looking at her.

Aisha slowly walked a little closer, completely overtaken by wonder. "Ahsoka, is that really you?" she asked. The being nodded at her. This _was_ her sister. Somehow she had taken on this form by means of the Force. It was amazing to witness. She thought back to the lessons that she had had in school. She had always enjoyed learning about the different creatures in the galaxy, especially those that were considered to be more mystical. Her sister in this form looked very similar to an Arkanian dragon.

Her sister seemed to look herself over, craning her neck around and stretching her wings. The long slender tail moving behind her then caught her attention. After a short moment, she moved over to the lake and studied her reflection in the water.

Now that she was turned sideways towards the lake, Aisha could truly see just how big her sister was in this form. The Force just emanated so powerfully from her. She was probably staring at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, but she just couldn't help herself. She would have never expected something like this to be possible. She just witnessed it happen, but it was still difficult to comprehend.

After a short moment her sister turned back to her again, satisfaction and approval clearly visible in her eyes. Then she closed her eyes and the same white light surrounded her form again. This time the light shrunk back into her the familiar silhouette of her sister. The light faded and her sister appeared again, standing there with a smile on her face. Then her smile faded and she staggered on her feet before falling to the floor.

"'Soka!" Aisha cried out in shock before she quickly ran to her. She dropped to her knees beside her and studied her. Her eyes seemed to rove everywhere and she was shaking a little. "'Soka, are you alright?" she asked concerned, noticing how her face seemed paler than normal.

"Y… yea-yeah…" Ahsoka answered slowly. "E-everything's just spinning and I feel a little faint." She took a deep a few breaths and worked on releasing the feelings to the Force. She could feel a hint of a smile tugging at her lips when she felt her sister trying to help her through their bond.

For a few minutes they were silent, Aisha doing her best to help Ahsoka get over this discomfort. Once her face had returned to its original color, she helped her sit upright. "Are you alright?" she asked again.

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, I'm okay. Thanks for the help sis," she said with a little smile. She looked herself over for a moment, inspecting her hands, arms and the rest of her body. "Well, that was an interesting experience."

"What did you _do_?" Aisha asked in wonder.

Ahsoka looked at her, thinking over the right words for a moment. "I've been teaching you about the Force and what the Jedi can do with it, right?" she asked, quickly receiving an affirmative nod. "The Jedi know a lot about the Force. The Jedi archives are filled with the knowledge gathered over the centuries. But even with all of that, there are still plenty of mysteries in the Force and in the galaxy."

She moved a little to sit a bit more comfortably. Aisha sat down next to her. "At one point during the war, we intercepted a strange transmission. In this transmission, a Jedi rescue code was buried, a 2000 year old code," she explained to her sister. "Unsure of what this meant, Master Obi-Wan, Anakin and I were sent to investigate. We were going to meet up with our troops on a Republic cruiser, but that didn't go as planned. We found… _something_ … and got swallowed up by some strange lights. After that, we all lost consciousness."

"When we woke up, we were on a very strange world, but very powerful in the Force. There, we met some very unique beings," she said as she looked at her sister. "They called themselves _Force Wielders_. They were the embodiments of the Force itself and immensely strong. I suppose that there are some people and species in the galaxy that might consider them to be some form of deities, considering how powerful they were. Maybe they were some kind of deities, I'm not fully sure to be honest."

Aisha's eyes widened in surprise. "That's amazing," she whispered back. It felt nearly impossible to imagine for her. "What happened there?" The moment she asked that, she could see numerous emotions flicker in her sister's eyes.

"There were three of them. The Father, who was the balance and kept the balance in the Force on that world. He had two children, Daughter, who was the embodiment of Light and the Son, who was the embodiment of the Dark. The Father wanted to see if Anakin was indeed the Chosen One, to see if he could take over his task of keeping balance, or something like that," Ahsoka continued. "However, the Son then got a different idea. He wanted to use Anakin's powers to escape the planet. In order to do that…" She hesitated a moment. "He kidnapped and cursed me, took full control of my body and forced me to fight Anakin and Obi-Wan. And when he had no more use for me, he killed me."

Aisha's eyes widened again, in shock this time. Some being of the Force had killed her sister? "But… You're still here, right?" she asked, a hand reaching out to take hold of one of hers.

Ahsoka took hold of Aisha's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "The story didn't end there, no. After he had done that to me, he tried to kill his father so he could leave. Daughter caught the blow of that weapon. The Son flew off in rage while she was dying. Anakin pleaded with the Father to save me, that there had to be something they could do. It was Daughter who offered to transfer her life energy to me in order to save me. It worked, I woke up and at that time, I didn't remember at all what had happened. There was a later showdown with the Son, during which the Father stabbed himself with that same weapon to distract his son, giving Anakin the chance to end it. After that, the world started to fall apart. We woke up back on our ship in space, Rex waiting for our answer on the comms. According to him, we had gone silent for a moment. Somehow, the days we spend there, were but a short moment to him."

Aisha thought all of it over for a little while. While she had learned more about the Force, something like this was still difficult for her to comprehend. It all seemed surreal and impossible, but from what she herself had experienced from the Force up until then, she wouldn't truly say that it was actually impossible.

After a short while she looked up at her sister again. "Did you get that power there somehow?" she asked. Her sister probably wouldn't have told her if it wasn't relevant. It was obvious that it was a partially painful memory for her.

Ahsoka nodded slowly. "In certain ways, yes," she answered. "I didn't know it at that time, nor were Anakin, Obi-Wan or any of the Council able to sense it either, but in that moment, Daughter gave me far more than just her life energy. She also gave me her Force powers."

For a third time, Aisha could feel her eyes widening in shock.

"At first, nothing changed for me. I certainly wasn't aware of the fact that I had such powers sleeping inside me now. It was only until I returned to my, _our_ , family, that those powers began to awaken," she said as she squeezed her sister's hand again. "Love plays a significant role in the Light Side of the Force. So when I finally accepted that into my life, her powers began to merge with my own, making me stronger than I was before." She held up her other arm and concentrated a moment. A soft white glow surrounded her arm. "With time, I'll become a Force Wielder myself."

Aisha looked at the glow, utterly amazed by everything that her sister had just told her. "So that was the adventure you mentioned when we first met?" she asked.

"Yes, that's right," Ahsoka replied with a small smile. "Learning the truth about all of this was a pretty big shock for me, but I've learned how to handle it."

Aisha nodded as Ahsoka made the glow on her arm disappear again. "Does that transformation come from those powers too?" she asked her sister. It would make sense to her.

Ahsoka nodded at her. "That's right," she answered. "The Force Wielders were able to transform like that themselves. Since I learned about these powers, I've been wondering whether or not I would be able to do it as well. Guess I have my answer now, huh?"

Aisha nodded excitedly. "You were huge! And you were such a beautiful dragon! It's amazing! Can you do that all the time now?" she asked.

Ahsoka smirked at her sister's usual excitement for the Force. "Technically, yes, I can," she replied. "If I want to, I can transform into that shape. However, it's not something that I should just do on a whim."

"How come?" Aisha asked in curiosity.

"Well, you saw how that short transformation affected me, right?" she asked in return. Aisha nodded. "I didn't even do anything while I was transformed and the mere minute of being in that form was enough to really disorientate me and knock the wind out of me. If I use it too much, I don't think the effect on me will be very pretty."

Aisha nodded, thinking back to what Ahsoka had told her about using power with care. How the Jedi usually used their lightsabers as a last resort. Having power and using it was easy, using it with proper care and consideration could be a lot more difficult. "Is that also why you wanted to try this here?" she asked as she looked her sister over. She still looked a little drained.

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, that's right. I had a few concerns about this. I wasn't sure how it would affect me and I didn't want to send mom into a panic attack," she answered. "When these powers first began to awaken, I subconsciously used them to prevent a large accident. It… knocked me out into a small coma-like state for almost three full days. I really wanted to prevent that from happening again."

Aisha hummed in agreement. "Yeah, mom would have really freaked out if you had done that," she said slightly worried. She would certainly have been herself if anything were to happen to Ahsoka. "But what else were you worried about?"

"Well…" Ahsoka began as her lekku darkened a little. "You saw how large I was in that form. I was worried that if I did do that transformation and changed back… I wasn't sure what would happen to my clothes…" she admitted a little embarrassed. "Sure, the Force Wielders could willingly change between forms no problem, but I wasn't sure how it would be for me."

Aisha nodded, feeling a little awkward as well. "But everything went well, didn't it?" she asked. "You're feeling alright, don't you?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. It just made me a bit tired, that's all," she replied to reassure her sister. "I just have to be very careful in how I use my powers. I think I'll only use that transformation if the situation is really dire. I fear that I can do some great damage in that form."

"It really is amazing. There is so much possible with the Force," Aisha said with wonder in her voice.

"Yes, there is. I don't think that anyone can ever claim to have uncovered all of Its secrets. Unless they happen to be immortal and maybe live for 10,000 years or more," Ahsoka replied with a smirk.

Aisha laughed a bit at her comment. "It might take that many years," she said as she looked her sister over again. She seemed to be more relaxed again.

Ahsoka smiled as she sensed it. "Don't worry Aisha, I'm fine," she reassured her sister. "I just needed a moment to relax a bit. I'm feeling better already."

"Okay," Aisha replied as she nodded. She was still a bit overwhelmed by everything she had just seen, sensed and heard, so she couldn't help but still be a bit worried for her sister.

Ahsoka chuckled a bit and wrapped her arm around her sister. For a couple of minutes, the two of them just sat there by the lake. Ahsoka resting up a bit more and giving Aisha a bit more time to let everything sink in.

Once Ahsoka felt fully normal again after just transforming into a different being, she stood up again and helped her sister stand up as well. "Come on, let's continue and get back home," she said. Aisha nodded and they walked back towards their speeder.

;-

Ahsoka smiled as she walked into the living room of their families home. Just as she had expected, her mother instantly came up to her. "Ahsoka, oh thank goodness, how did everything go?" she asked as her father joined her as well.

"See for yourself," Ahsoka said with a smirk as she stepped aside to let Aisha in. Their parents instantly smiled when they saw the headdress on her forehead.

Haymish walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Well done Aisha, you did great," he told her. "You have certainly proven what a brave young girl you are."

Aisha smiled as her father pulled away, making room for her mother who hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you back here safe and sound," Yuae said before she pulled back and held her at arms' length. "Your headdress looks really good on you."

"Thanks mom and dad," she replied happily. "Hunting the Akul was exciting and a little scary, but I was able to do it thanks to the lessons from the tribe. I did get hurt a bit, that Akul was able to claw at my back, but it's fine now. The healer of the tribe really knew what she was doing."

"That's good to hear," Yuae said a bit relieved. "Let's wait until your sisters get back from the palace. Then we'll go out and celebrate."

"Sounds like a great plan to me, doesn't it sis?" Ahsoka asked her with a smile. Aisha nodded excitedly and they moved to the living room so the two sisters could tell more about their trip.

 **;-**

 **That's the end of this story.**

 **Aisha has successfully killed an Akul and made her headdress. Ahsoka has also grown a lot stronger in the Force. The power that Daughter gave her is awakening more with every passing day.**

 **As is obvious from this chapter, I did decide to give Ahsoka a transformation ability like the Force Wielders themselves had. I first presented this idea in Tale of a Togruta. Back then I wasn't sure about whether or not I should add it, but I eventually decided to do it. However, as you can tell, it's very hard on Ahsoka to do it. The drawback on her is immense. It will be a technique left for use in emergency situations. Otherwise she might end up hurting herself quite badly. This was my way of balancing this power out.**

 **Now that this side story is finished, I will be returning to my two main stories. A Mirialan's Story will get the first update. Barriss' story picks up a little before Ahsoka's does. I have a few things planned for her before we get to one of the bigger parts of both stories.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
